Infraestructures del

Transport Aeri

Introduction to airspace classes

and ATS units
Marc Melgosa Àlex Ramonjoan
marc.melgosa@upc.edu alex.ramonjoan@upc.edu

September 2020 – Version 2.0

Introduction

VFR: Visual Flight Rules

• Visibility better than (5-)8 km (Special VFR)
• ATS flight plan optional (in «aeronautically developed»
states...)
• Fewer training and equipments required

IFR: Instrumental Flight Rules

• Use of Radionavigation means
• ATS flight plan must be filed AND approved
• More training/equipage is required

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Infraestructures del Transport Aeri (ITA) September 2020 – v2.0
ATS units

ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) divides the

Earth in 9 FIR (Flight Information Regions):

• PAC (Pacific)
• NAM (North America)
• CAR (Central America)
• SAM (South America)
• NAT (North Atlantic)
• EUR (Europe)
• AFI (Africa)
• MID (Middle East)

The limits of these FIRs do not correspond to the borders of

the countries

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ATS units

Each of the previous FIR is also sub-divided in more FIR.

In Spain, there are three FIR:

• FIR Madrid.
• FIR Barcelona.
• FIR Canarias.
• (FIR Sevilla is a delegation
of FIR Madrid).

Vertically, each FIR is already sub-subdivided:

• Lower airspace (FIR) – 0 to FL245.
• Upper Information Region (UIR) – FL245 to FL460.

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 ATS units

UIR

FIR

CTA TMA/CTA

R,P,D or AWY
ZRT

CTR CTR CTR

ATZ ATZ ATZ ATZ

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ATS units

ATZ (Aerodrome Traffic Zone)

• Dedicated to the movement of aircraft in the vicinity of an
aerodrome.
• It may be inside a CTR (Controlled Traffic Region).

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ATS units

CTR (Controlled Traffic Region)

• Associated to one aerodrome in order to protect the IFR
movements.
• One CTR can be used for more than one aerodrome.

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ATS units

TMA (Terminal Manouvering Area)

• Typically above one or more airports were airways and
departure/arrival procedures converge.

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ATS units

CTA (Controlled Traffic Area)

• Similar to TMA.
• Zone to be controlled because of an specific region.
• Can be set up over an airport or not.

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ATS units

• Prohibited (“P”) – Forbidden.

• Restricted (“R”) – Restricted to specific conditions.
• Dangerous (“D”) – Some activities may affect aircraft.
• Zones Restricted Temporarily (ZRT) – Need of
reservation for specific users.
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 ICAO airspace classes

Airspace Controlled Non-Controlled

Class A B C D E F G
IFR allowed Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
SVFR
Allowed Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No
VFR Allowed No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
IFR / IFR IFR / IFR if
NONE
IFR / (S)VFR IFR / SVFR possible
Separation IFR / IFR
(S)VFR / SVFR/SV
(S)VFR FR
Traffic VFR / IFR / VFR if possible if possible NONE
N/A
information VFR VFR / VFR
Clearance Only for
Required Yes Yes Yes Yes IFR No No

National regulations may differ

from ICAO standards!
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Infraestructures del Transport Aeri (ITA) September 2020 – v2.0
 Thank you!!
Gràcies!!

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References

http://www.controladoresaereos.org/2016/05/25/como-se-divide-y-organiza-el-espacio-aereo-
firctrtmaatzcta-video/

https://www.gacetaeronautica.com/gaceta/wp-101/?p=5126

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